An Outline for Worship with Examples and Options for Adaptation and Use
Prepared by the National Council of the Churches of Christ
Acts of Commitment
Prayer
God our creator,
you have made us one with this earth,
to tend it and to bring forth fruit.
May we so respect and cherish all that has life from you,
that we may share in the labor of all creation
to give birth to your hidden glory,
through Jesus Christ. Amen
(Source: "The Hymnal: A Worship Book," Brethren Press, Elgin, IL. 1992. #744. Morehousing Publishing. Used by permission.)
Litany of Commitment
Reader: We have confessed our part in hurting the earth. We have expressed our thanks for creation and those who care for it. We are ready to commit ourselves to a new way of living. Let us think about the hard questions that can lead to this kind of charge such as:
How do we leave behind the ways that have abused the earth?
How do we show that we are for all creation?
What can we do to stop those whose actions cause great pollution problems?Period of silent meditation
Leader: In a world where there is racism, hatred, and division
People: May we bring unity and community, O God.
Leader: In a world where there is meaninglessness and emptiness
People: May we bring purpose and hope, O God.
Leader: Lead us forth, Spirit of God, in joy and in faith, in truth and in freedom
People: In ways known and unknown, may we follow. Amen
(Source: World Council of Churches. Used by permission)
The Christiana Creek Covenant
We believe that God has created a world of riches and abundance. We recognize that we are wasting our planet's physical, biological, human and spiritual resources. We see that many of our brothers and sisters suffer as a result. We are consuming too much and contributing too little. We are interrupting natural cycles and destroying species and causing unnecessary suffering. We have been careless with our wastes and have polluted the air, water, and soil. We have failed to moderate our consumption so that each person can have enough resources to live and take their desired place in the human community. We are squandering the birthright of future generations.
We believe a fundamental joy and meaning of human life comes from the stewardship, appreciation, and enjoyment of God's creation. Among the basic expressions of our oneness with God is our participation in the journey toward justice, so that all our brothers and sisters may have the opportunity to share in and contribute to an abundant common life. Justice necessarily includes the protection, restoration, and enhancement of the ecosystem in which we and other creatures live and from which every living thing draws its sustenance.
As steps along this path, I will with God's help:
- live abundantly and enjoy creation without hoarding what my sisters and brothers need, without wasting the resources entrusted to me, and without polluting the land, water, and air
- reduce, reuse and recycle
- work for justice, peace, and harmony
- work to protect, restore, and enhance the natural environment
- live a faithfulness that is earth-inclusive, both at home and at work.
(Inspired by the Wellspring covenant, which was written in October 1988 as a part of a United Church of Christ consultation; Source, "Meeting Hunger, Hands On: Hunger Awareness Activities for Groups," Church World Services, 1991, p. 30. Used by permission.)